William c



(No Model.)

W. o FISHER BRAIDING MACHINE Patented Jan. 14, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM C. FISHER, OF MIDDLETO W N, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THERUSSELL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BRAlDlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 552,994, dated January14, 1896.

Application filed July 22,1895. $eria1llo. 556,730. (No model.)

To cZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. FISHER, of Middletown, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement inBraiding dachines; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing and the letters of referencemarked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,and which said drawing constitutes part of this specification andrepresents a plan view of a bed-plate containing a concentrically-foldedseries of race-circles arranged in accordance with my invention.

My invention relates to an improvement in braiding-machines, the objectbeing to produce a machine capable of producing braided tubes of largersize than has been practicable heretofore.

lVith this end in view my invention consists in a bed-plate forbraiding-machines, the said plate being constructed with a continuousfolded line of race-circles forming a compacted path for thethread-holding bobbins.

In carrying out my invention I employ a braiding-machine of any approvedconstruction of the class in which a series of gears are employed topropel a series of bobbins through intersecting race-circles, eitherarranged in a continuous simple circular line, as when the machines aredesigned to produce solid cords or small tubes, or arranged so that theends of the line do not merge into each other, as when flat braidingisdesigned to be produced. These machines are too well known in the art torequire illustration. I provide such a machine with a bed-plate A,having a folded line of intersecting race'circles B, through which theyarn or thread holding bobbins, which are not shown, but which are ofordinary construction, are propelled by the usual means in a serpentinecourse crossing each others paths, and interlacing or plaiting thethreads. By folding the line of race-circles upon itself I am enabled toproduce a machine capable of turning out tubes of great size, while atthe same time the machine is comparatively compact, which is importanton account of economy of space, but not less so on account of thedifficulties encountered when the thread has to travel for aconsiderable distance after leaving the bobbin and before it isincorporated into the fabric being produced.

It is apparent that in carrying out my invention the particular mode offolding the line of race-circles upon itself maybe varied, and that thenumber of foldswill depend upon the size of the machine and upon thesize of the tubes to be made. As herein shown, the line of race-circlesis folded concentrically upon itself, by which I mean that the adjacentfolded portions of the line have nearly the same curvature, thedifference in the curvature of one of such portions from the curvatureof the other being represented by the differences in the size of the twocircles of which they form segments. I would therefore have itunderstood that I do not limit myself to the construction herein shownand described, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes andalterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

A braiding-machine bed -plate having a continuous line of intersectingrace-circles, the said line being folded upon itself and forming anendless race through which the bobbins pass in the production of tubularfabric, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM G. FISHER. Witnesses HENRY W. HUBBARD, LOUIS DEK. HUBBARD.

